Handle apparatus



April 4, 1967 J. w. SERlO 3,312,495

HANDLE APPARATUS Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 15, 1965 4 34 I163 k a 1' l44 WI/i114 5% f 'n A 8 68 1i! 66 X a X 14442:: I! 1!! i 64 4 92 50INVENTOR I JA ES uJSERw ATTORNEYS A ril 4, 1967 J. w. SERIO HANDLEAPPARATUS 2 Sheets-Shee 2 Fi led Feb. 15, 1965 ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent 3,312,495 HANDLE APPARATUS James W. Serio, Hiilcrest Road,Elmira, NY. 14903 Filed Feb. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 432,517 8 Claims. (Cl.294-312) The present invention relates to new and novel handleapparatus, and more particularly to handle apparatus adapted to beassociatedwith containers.

The handle apparatus of the present invention is especially adapted foruse with containers of the type which open at the upper end thereof andwhich are provided with an unusual external contoured configuration. Thetype of handle according to the present invention is also provided withcontoured surfaces which are adapted to snugly engage the outer surfaceof the container to thereby present a very attractive finished product.

The handle portion which is manually grasped and which engages the outersurface of the container is associated with an engaging means in theform of an elongated band of flexible material which is separate fromthe container and which is adapted to be clamped about the container.

Clamping means is provided whereby upon assembly, the band may bereadily clamped about the container and very tightly secured inoperative position so that it will not slip oif. To assist in thisfeature of the invention, the container may be provided with aperipheral recess therearound.

The clamping means is initially engaged with the end portions of theband for clamping the band in position. The manual graspable handleportion is provided with a cavity within which the opposite end portionsof the engageab'le band and the clamping means are adapted to fit and besecured in place by a suitable means such as an adhesive or the like.

This over-all arrangement is particularly useful with contouredcontainers having correspondingly contoured handle portions which fitagainst the rather unusual shape of the container in a proper mannerin'only one relative position of the handle with respect to thecontainer. This is to be contrasted with the type of an arrangementwherein the container has an absolutely fiat surface and the handle mayhave a correspondingly fiat surface which might fit the container in anyrelative position of the handle.

The end portions of the band and the clamping means fit within a cavityprovided in the manually graspable part of the handle and are securedtherein so as to be completely hidden from view thereby presenting avery neat external appearance such that after assembly no moving parts,holes, screws and the like are visible or exposed in any manner. a

A further advantage of the arrangement of the present invention is thatit enables the handle mechanism to be assembled in a most simple andeifective manner which is virtually foolproof, thereby considerablyreducing the time and effort required in assemblying the apparatus on anassociated container.

The clamping means itself is also provided with a bore having a fiaredportion which facilitates entry of the end portions of the band thereinthereby enabling more ready assembly of the apparatus.

In one modification of the invention, detent means is provided betweenthe end portions of the band and the clamping means to prevent the bandfrom being released from proper tension about the associated containeronce the clamping means has been rotated with respect to the endportions of the band. Means is also provided in this modification forurging the opposite ends of the band outwardly into operative position.

In another modification of the invention, the opposite end portions ofthe band are provided with ears which are interengageable to provide apredetermined spacing of the end portions of the band and preventing theend portions of the band not only from collapsing inwardly toward oneanother but also limiting inward or outward bending of the ears in adirection longitudinally of the bore of the associated clamping means.

An object of the present invention is to provide new and novel handleapparatus which is articularlyuseful with handles which are contoured tofit snugly against an unusually shaped container and wherein the handleapparatus is adapted to be mounted in a predetermined relationship tothe container.

Another object of the invention is to provide handle apparatus which inits assembled relationship presents a very neat external appearance,with no movable parts, holes, screws and the like exposed to view.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of handleapparatus which is capable of being very securely attached toanassociated container.

A further object of the invention is to provide handle apparatus whichmay be quickly and easily assembled in a relatively foolproof manner ona container.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide handle apparatus whichis quite simple and inexpensive in construction, and which is quiterugged and effective in use.

Other objects and many attendant advantages of the invention will becomemore apparent when considered in connection with the specification andaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a container with the handleapparatus of the present invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. 1looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 33 of FIG. 2looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 2looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the manner in whichcertain components of the assembly are interengageable with one another;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 6--6 of FIG. 4looking in the direction of the arrows; FIG. 7 is a top perspective viewof a container having a modified form of handle apparatus associatedtherewith;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 88 of FIG. 7looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a-sectional view taken substantially along line 9-9 of FIG. 8looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 10-10 of FIG.8 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 11 is a exploded top perspective view of certain components of theassembly illustrating the manner in which they are assembled withrespect to one another.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a firstmodification of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 inclusive. Asseen in these figures, a container is indicated generally by referencenumeral 20 and may be of any particular construction as for exampleformed of ceramic material and the like. The container includes anupwardly tapered side wall portion 22 which joins with a peripherallyextending recess portion 24 as seen particularly in FIG. 2 which in turnjoins with an upper outwardly flared side wall portion 26. The containeris open at the upper portion thereof as indicated by reference numeral28, and a pouring spout portion 30 is formed integral with the upperwall portion 26.

The handle means itself is indicated generally by reference numeral 34and may be formed of a suitable material such as plastic and the likewhich is a good heat insulator so as to protect the hand of the userwhen handling hot liquids for example. This handle means includes amanually graspable portion 36 which may be contoured so as to easily fitwithin the palm of the hand, and an upper portion 38 is provided whichterminates in upper and lower end surfaces 40 and 42 respectively whichare adapted to fit snugly against the outer surface of the associatedcontainer. These upper and lower end surfaces are joined by side endsurfaces 44 as particularly seen in FIG. 5 for example, these surfaces44 being normally spaced from the associated container.

The terminal end of upper portion 38 of the handle means is providedwith a cavity 48 for receiving other components of the handle assembly,and an integral tapered projection 50 extends into the central part ofcavity 48 for a purpose hereinafter described. The engaging meanscomprises an elongated flexible band 54 formed of a suitable materialsuch as aluminum or the like, this band including portions 56 and 58 ofreduced width adjacent the opposite ends thereof and terminating inopposite end portions 60 and 62 of the same width as portions 56 and 58respectively. End portions 60 and 62 extend laterally outwardly awayfrom the adjacent portions of the band as seen in FIG. 5 andapproximately perpendicular to the associated adjacent portions. Theseend portions are provided with cars 64 and 66 respectively which areformed at the terminal ends of the end portions and extend substantiallyperpendicularly from the associated end portions. Ears 64 and 66 areprovided with integral struck-out portions 68 and 70 which serve asdetent means as hereinafter described.

The clamping means of the assembly is indicated generally by referencenumeral 74, this clamping means being formed of a suitable lightweightmaterial such as plastic or the like and comprising an annular memberhaving a plurality of longitudinal grooves 76 formed on the outersurface thereof for a purpose hereinafter described.

Clamping member 74 has a bore formed therethrough, this bore including atapered portion 80 at one end there'- of to facilitate entry of theopposite end portions of the band within the bore. The bore alsoincludes a pair of cam surfaces indicated generally by referencenumerals 82 and 84 as seen particularly in FIG. 4. These cam surfacespresent inwardly facing surfaces which are disposed eccentrically withrespect to the longitudinal axis xx of the'bore. That is to say, camsurface 82 slopes from a low point 82' to a high point 82", the highpoint 82" of this surface being closer to the axis xx than point 82. Ina like manner, cam surface 84 slopes from a low point 84' to a highpoint 84", point 84" being spaced closer to the axis xx than is thepoint 84.

Clamping means 74 also includes a second pair of cam surfaces indicatedgenerally by reference numerals and 92 respectively, this pair of camsurfaces being formed on the outer end portion of the clamping means.Cam surface 90 slopes from a low point 90' to a high point 90", point90" being spaced outwardly of point 90" in a direction extendinglongitudinally of the longitudinal axis of the clamping means. In a likemanner, cam surface 92 slopes outwardly from a low point 92' to a highpoint 92", point 92" being spaced outwardly of point 9 2 in a directionextending parallel with the longitudinal axis of the clamping means.

Cam surface 90 is provided with a plurality of detent notches 94 ofsubstantially V-shaped cross sectional configuration, and cam surface 92is provided with a corresponding plurality of V-shaped detent notches96. It will be noted that these notches extend in an angularrelationship such that they will be adapted to engage the detentportions 68 and 70' of cars 60 and 66 respectively as the ears arerotated with respect to the clamping means.

When assembling the handle apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 through 6,inclusive, the band 54 is first placed about the peripheral recessportion of the container and the opposite end portions are moved towardone another so that they can be slipped into the bore provided throughthe clamping means 74, The opposite end portions 60 and 62 are extendedthrough the bore until the cars 64 and 66 thereof extend beyond the endof the bore and onto cam surfaces 90 and 92 respectively as illustratedin FIGS. 3 and 4. When the ears are initially placed in this position,they will be disposed such that they are at the low points on each ofthe cam surfaces 82, 84, 90 and 92. At this stage of the operation, theband is still rather loosely fitted about the associated container. Theclamping means is then rotated with respect to the associated endportions of the band whereupon the inwardly facing cam surfaces 82 and84 will move the end portions of the band toward one another which ofcourse will tend to tighten the band about the container andsimultaneously with such action the cam surfaces 90 and 92 will alsopull the end portions of the band away from the con tainer due to theinteraction of these cam surfaces with the ears 64 and 66 therebyfurther producing a tightening action of the band.

The clamping means is rotated until the opposite end portions of theband are exposed at the high points of the two cam surfaces or until nofurther rotation of the clamping means is possible due to the fact thatthe band may be very tightly clamped on the container. The detent meanscomprising the struck-out portions 68 and 70 and the detent notches 94and 96 will prevent the clamping means from backing off from thistightened position.

A suitable adhesive substance such as epoxy resin or the like is thendisposed in the longitudinal groove 76 in the outer surface of theclamping means, and the clamping means along with the opposite endportions of the band are placed within the cavity 48 of the handle bypushing the handle into the operative position seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.The clamping means is snugly received within cavity 48, and the adhesivesubstance will serve to permanently secure the clamping means within thecavity of the handle thereby securely holding the handle apparatus inthe operative final position.

As the handle means is pushed into the position shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and4, the central projection 50 of the handle will be received between theopposite end portions 66 and 62 and will maintain them in the desiredoperative relationship. The tapered outer surface of projection 50 willenable it to be readily moved into operative position and serve to forcethe opposite end portions 60 and 62 outwardly into the desiredrelationship.

After so assembling the handle apparatus, it is merely necessary to drythe adhesive substance whereupon the completed finished structure isprovided. 7

Referring now to FIGS. 7 through 11 inclusive, a modified form of theinvention is illustrated. The container means is indicated generally byreference numeral and may be identical with that shown in FIG. 1. Thiscontainer means also includes an upwardly tapered side wall portion 122which joins with a peripheral recess portion 124 which in turn joinswith an upper outwardly flared side wall 126. The container is open atthe upper end 128 thereof, and an integral pouring spout 130 isprovided.

The handle means 134 is also very similar to the handle means previouslydescribed and includes a manually graspable contoured portion 136 whichis formed integral with an upper part 138 which terminates in an upperend surface 140 and a lower end surface 142, these end surfaces beingadapted to fit snugly against the associated side walls of thecontainer.

The upper and lower surfaces 140 and 142 are joined by side surfaces 144which are normally spaced from the container. A cavity 148 is providedin the end of the upper portion 138, the only difference in thisparticular handle means construction being that no projection isprovided in the recess in the handle means.

The engaging means in this form of the invention comprises an elongatedflexible band 150 formed of a suitable material such as aluminum or thelike, the band including portions of reduced width 152 and 154 adjacentthe" opposite ends thereof and terminating in opposite end portions 156and 158 which include integral ear portions 169 and 162 respectivelywhich extend substantially perpendicularly from the adjacent endportions. The end portions also extend substantially perpendicularlyfrom the portions 152 and 154 respectively.

End portions 156 and 158 are provided with integral screw thread means156' and 158' therein for cooperating with the clamping means ashereinafter described.

The ears 16f) and 162 are interengageable with one another as seen mostclearly in FIGS. 9, and 11, such interengagement serving to maintainthese opposite end portions in predetermined spaced relationship as seenin FIG. 9 and also preventing inward or outward collapsing of the endportions when the apparatus is being assembled.

The clamping means is indicated generally by reference numeral 170 andcomprises an annular member formed of plastic or the like havinglongitudinal grooves 172 formed in the outer surface thereof. Theclamping means is provided with a bore formed therethrough, this boreincluding a first tapered portion 176 which is flared outwardly towardthe associated end of the clamping member so as to facilitate entry ofthe opposite end portions of the band there within. The bore alsoincludes a surface 178 having integral screw thread means formed thereinadapted to cooperate with screw threaded portions of the opposite endportions of the band.

When assembling this form of the apparatus in operative position, theband is first disposed about the outer periphery of the containeradjacent the recess portion 124 thereof, and the opposite end portionsare moved into the relationship seen most clearly in FIGS. 9 and 11. Theclamping means is then threaded onto the opposite end portions of theband into the operative position shown in FIG. 9. As the clamping meansis threaded into position, the inner edge portion 180 thereof which isformed on a radius will engage the outer surfaces of the container andpull the end portions of the band away from the container to tighten itsecurely about the container. When the'clamping means has been rotatedwith respect to the end portions of the band so as to tightly clamp theband about the container, the clamping means along with the end portionsof the band are inserted within the cavity 148 provided in the handlemeans. As in the previous modification, a suitable adhesive substancesuch as epoxy resin is disposed within the longitudinal grooves 172 forsecurely and permanently retaining the apparatus in the assembledrelationship.

It is apparent from the foregoing that there is provided according tothe present invention new and novel handle apparatus which isparticularly useful with unusually contoured containers and wherein thehandle means is adapted to be mounted in a predetermined relationship onthe container, the handle means generally being similarly contoured. Thefinished handle apparatus presents a very neat external appearancewherein there are no movable parts, holes, screws and the like exposedto view. The handle apparatus is adapted to be very securely clamped toand secured on a container and may be assembled in a substantiallyfoolproof manner in a short amount of time. The over-all arrangement isquite simple and inexpensive in construction, yet is quite rugged andeffective in use.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the presentembodiment is therefore illustrafall within the metes and bounds of theclaims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperativeequivalents are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim:

1. Handle apparatus comprising engaging means having opposite outwardlyextending end portions, clamping means having a bore formedtherethrough, said opposite end portions of said engaging means beingreceived within said clamping means and extending through said bore andin engagement therewith, the wall of said bore defining a pair ofinwardly facing cam surfaces, each of said cam surfaces defining asurface eccentric to the axis of said bore, said cam surfaces beingengageable with the opposite end portions of said engaging means forclamping the engaging means tightly about an associated container uponrelative rotation of said clamping means with respect to said endportions of the engaging means.

2. Handle apparatus comprising engaging means having opposite endportions, clamping means having a bore formed therethrough, saidopposite end portions being received within said bore, said clampingmeans defining an outer surface and a pair of opposite end surfaces, oneof said opposite end surfaces defining a pair of cam surfaces, each ofsaid cam surfaces sloping from a low point to a high point toward theoutermost end of said clamping means, said opposite end portions of theengaging means including surfaces in engagement with said cam surfaces.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said cam surfaces hasdetent means formed thereon, the adjacent associated surfaces of theopposite end portions having cooperating detent means thereon forprevent-ing relative rotation of said opposite end portions with respectto said clamping means in one direction.

4. Handle apparatus comprising engaging means including an elongatedflexible band adapted to engage the outer periphery of a container, saidband including opposite end portions extending laterally outwardly ofthe adjacent band portions, clamping means comprising a member having abore formed therethrough, said opposite end portions extending throughsaid bore and having in engagement therewith, the wall of said boredefining first cam means eccentric to the axis of said bore, one endportion of said clamping means defining cam means extendinglongitudinally of the axis of said bore, said opposite end portionsengaging said first cam means including terminal ends engaging saidsecond cam means whereby upon relative rotation of said clamping meanswith respect to said opposite end portions, the engaging means isclamped tightly about an associated container.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein one of said second cam meansand the associated terminal end of an opposite end portion haveinterengageable detent means for preventing relative rotation betweensaid clamping means and said opposite end portions in one direction ofrotation.

6. Handle apparatus comprising engaging means including a band havingseparate opposite end portions extending laterally outwardly of theadjacent band portions, clamping means having a bore therein, saidopposite end portions of the band being received within said bore, saidopposite end portions and said clamping means having interengageablesurfaces for tightening said engaging means about a container uponrelative rotation between said clamping means and said opposite endportions, handle means defining a substantially uninterrupted outersurface which is presented to view when in operative position so as toafford a neat and attractive appearance with no attaching or connectingparts exposed to view, said handle means including a manually graspableportion and having a cavity therein disposed adjacent said 7 band andreceiving said opposite end portions of the engaging means and saidclamping means whereby said opposite end portions and said clampingmeans are completely hidden from view when in operative position, andmeans securing said opposite end portions and said clamping meansfixedly within said cavity.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said interengageable surfacesinclude cam means on said clamping means.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said interengageable surfacesinclude interengageable screw thread portions, the terminal ends of saidopposite end portions including ears extending laterally from theadjacent parts of the end portions, said ears overlapping and beinginterengageable with one another and serving to maintain said oppositeend portions in predetermined spaced relationship to one another.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 235,931 12/1880Broughton 24--278 660,245 10/1900 Bunte et a1 -a 24--278 X 2,490,83812/1949 Serio 294-312 2,554,643 5/1951 Serio 2943l.2 2,554,644 5/1951Serio 2943 1.2 2,554,761 5/1951 Walder 294-31.2 3,105,714 10/1963 Kimber294-312 3,179,143 4/1965 Schultz et a1. 1514l.7

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

1. HANDLE APPARATUS COMPRISING ENGAGING MEANS HAVING OPPOSITE OUTWARDLYEXTENDING END PORTIONS, CLAMPING MEANS HAVING A BORE FORMEDTHERETHROUGH, SAID OPPOSITE END PORTIONS OF SAID ENGAGING MEANS BEINGRECEIVED WITHIN SAID CLAMPING MEANS AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BORE ANDIN ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, THE WALL OF SAID BORE DEFINING A PAIR OFINWARDLY FACING CAM SURFACES, EACH OF SAID CAM SURFACES DEFINING ASURFACE ECCENTRIC TO THE AXIS OF SAID BORE, SAID CAM SURFACES BEINGENGAGEABLE WITH THE OPPOSITE END PORTIONS OF SAID ENGAGING MEANS FORCLAMPING THE ENGAGING MEANS TIGHTLY ABOUT AN ASSOCIATED CONTAINER UPONRELATIVE ROTATION OF SAID CLAMPING MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID ENDPORTIONS OF THE ENGAGING MEANS.